Counter loader packaging machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for automatically packaging a multiplicity of individual packages in a container. The packaging machine comprises an assembly for transporting empty containers (boats) to a loading station, a mechanism for serially conveying the packages to the boats at the loading station, and a boatcollating assembly for conveying the loaded boats to a manual loading station.

United States Patent inventors Sanford Redmond 7 E. 74th Street, New York City, N.Y. 10021; Frederick F. Sawicki, 207-06 23rd Ave., Bayside, N.Y. 11360 Appl. No. 865,388

Filed Oct. 10, 1969 Patented Jan. 4, 1972 COUNTER LOADER PACKAGING MACHINE 40 Claims, 21 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 53/124 D, 53/162, 53/245 Int. Cl 1365b 63/02, B65b 5/10 Field of Search 53/159,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,546 5/1930 Price et al 53/246 X 2,851,836 9/1958 Fromwiller.... 53/244 X 3,289,230 12/1966 Detert 53/244 X 3,303,759 2/1967 Burke 53/160 X Primary ExaminerTheron E. Condon Assistant Examiner-Robert L. Spruill AttorneyMorgan, Finnegan, Durham & Pine ABSTRACT: A machine for automatically packaging a multiplicity of individual packages in a container. The packaging machine comprises an assembly for transporting empty containers (boats) to a loading station, a mechanism for serially conveying the packages to the boats at the loading station, and a boat-collating assembly for conveying the loaded boats to a manual loading station.

PATENTEU JAN M972 SHEET 01 [1F L RK mmmmw um \nui Maw MORGAN, F/NNEGAN,

DURHAM 8 PINE AT TORNEY PATENTEU JAN 4m SHEET 0 3 HF ZOCSCE PATENTED JAN 4197:

SHEET 0 [IF PATENIEUJAN M972 SHEET osnr mzminm 41912 3631.652

SHEET USUF 15 76 FIG.9

FIG. 10

mamizum 4mm 316121.652

SHEET 070E 15 FIG. 11

PATENTEDJ AN M872 3.631.652 SHEET UBUF 15 FIGJZ PATENTED JAN 4 E72 SHEET 1 0 OF FIG. 16'

PATENTED JAN 4 I972 SHEET 1 1 OF PATENTEU JAN 4 I972 S'riEET 12 HF FIG. 18

Pmimanm 4:212 3631.652

SHEET NSF 1S PATENTEU JAN 4 I972 SHEET 1 5 BF FIG. 20 ax COUNTER LOADER PACKAGING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a packaging machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a machine directed to packaging a multiplicity of individual packages, such as butter pats, in a boat (container).

2. Description of the Prior Art At present, it is common for the butter and margarine processing industry to individually package small pats of butter and margarine. The quantity of butter or margarine in each pat, while varying to some extent, is generally sized to constitute the requirement for a single serving.

The use of individually packaged pats of butter and margarine has provided the industry with a sanitary and efiicient means for handling and serving the ultimate consumer with butter or margarine. By using individually packaged pats of butter and margarine, commercial and institutional dining establishments can serve butter or margarine to each diner in a sanitary condition without the requirement of cutting the butter or margarine to individual portions, without, the use of plates or icebox bowls or alternatively serving it in bulk form from a common container.

Essentially, the individual serving is comprised of a pat of butter or margarine resting on a mat of cardboard or other suitable material, and a cover of parchment paper or other suitable material which rests on the pat.

It has been found particularly efficient to package these individual servings in a single container or boat. Boats are essentially the width of the mat and sufficiently long to accommodate varying numbers of pats, depending on their size. A number of these boats are normally assembled and placed in a shipping container. In normal use restaurant employees can conveniently remove an individual boat from the package to facilitate service of the pats to the patrons.

At present, the state of the art in the packaging industry includes machines which automatically produce these butter and margarine pat packages, for individual servings. However, such pat packages are hand packed into larger containers. Such hand packing of course requires handling, it slow, relatively expansive, and does not assure uniformity in packing in the boats, uniformity in the number of pats packed per boat, and the like. Hand packing slows down the production speed which might otherwise be attained with machines which automatically produce butter and margarine pat packages. Furthermore, in hand packaging, care must be exercised to avoid contamination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for automatically and rapidly packaging pats of butter or similar products in individual boats and facilitating the packaging of the boats in transportable shipment boxes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine which will allow automatic butter processing machines to run at maximum speed without the necessity of being limited by the speed of a manual packaging operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine with means for assuring uniform sized pats.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a machine which facilitates sanitary packaging of food pat packages with a substantial reduction in labor over present packaging techniques.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which will accurately count the number of packages fed to the pat loading station and insure consistency in the number of packages inserted in each container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will automatically convey empty boats to a loading station, and concomitantly convey packages serially to the same loading location for loading into the boats.

To this end, a machine is provided which is comprised of an assembly for feeding empty boats to the boat transport assembly, an assembly for transporting such empty boats to a pat loading station, an assembly for feeding pat packages to such boat in the pat loading station, a collating assembly to handle the loaded boats and a transmission system to insure synchronized operation of such assemblies.

The boat infeed system for feeding empty boats to the boat transport assembly is essentially formed of a guide and a drive system arranged to synchronously push each boat along the guide into engagement with a longitudinal flight on the boat transport assembly.

The boat transport assembly in its most specific form is comprised of a conveyor assembly consisting of two rotatable toothed pulley, a chain conveyor arranged on the toothed pul leys and means on the chain to hold and convey the boats. Essentially, the means to hold the boats are comprised of flights, guides and a suction system for synchronous transfer of the boats from the boat infeed to the boat transport. The flight system includes alternately arranged transverse and longitudinal flights. The longitudinal flights serve to hold the boats on the flight during vertical travel while the transverse flights are designed to eject the boats from the loading station and to afford access between a suction system and the boats during the passage thereof around the toothed wheel. The longitudinal flights are provided with cam followers which cooperate with cam surfaces on the conveyor assembly structure to control the movement of the boats before, during and after the loading cycle. The transverse flights are provided with cam followers which cooperate with a cam race fixed to the boat transport assembly structure to positively eject the boats from the loading station after they have been completely loaded.

The assembly for conveying the pat packages to the pat loading station and the empty boat therein is essentially comprised of a conveyor belt, a size tamper for insuring uniform height of each package, an assembly of driven gripping belts, pinch rollers, a push tamper to urge the pat packages into the boat and guide means at the pat loading station for the pat package. The gripping belts are arranged around two sets of rollers and are adapted to grip each pat package as it ap' proaches the end of the conveyor belt. The pinch rollers grip the pat package after it leaves the gripping belts and positively pass each pat package to the guide wherein the push tamper forces the package through the guide into the boat at the loading station. During the passage of each pat through the guide, the mat edges are bent upwardly.

The machine also includes a collating assembly which serves to accumulate a number of aligned loaded boats ready for packaging in a transportable shipping container. The collating assembly is comprised of guides, a pivotally mounted latch lever having support means for the boats ejected from the boat transport system, a drop arm for conveying the boats from the pivotally mounted latch lever to a conveyor which ultimately transports the boats to a terminal platfonn.

The machine is also provided with a transmission system which insures synchronous operation of the machines functions. Essentially, the transmission system is provided with a single power input from which the power to synchronously drive the boat transport assembly and the pat feed assembly is taken. This synchronization provides for the counting of the number of pats which are inserted in each boat. The drives for the push tamper, the size tamper, the gripping rollers and the pinch rollers are also taken from the shaft which drives the pat feed conveyor belt. Hence, each of these functions is synchronized with the feed of the pats to the pat loading station. Similarly, the collating assembly and boat infeed assembly are also driven by a train which takes power from the boat transport drive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the packaging machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the boat transport system;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the upper section of the boat transport system with the pulley plate removed to show the suction system for synchronizing the boats on the boat transport system during rotation around the upper toothed pulleys;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken through line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a transverse flight;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the transverse flight shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the flight shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a longitudinal flight;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the longitudinal flight shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the longitudinal flight shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a rear sectional elevational view taken through line lll I ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the pat package feeding assembly;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the pat package feed assembly of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a sectional elevational view from line 14l4 of the guide in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a sectional elevational view of the push tamper mechanism taken through line IS 15 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a sectional elevational view through line 16-16 of FIG. 12 showing the eccentric tamper mechanism;

FIG. 17 is a rear side elevational view of the boat conveyor;

FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the boat-collating assembly for accommodating the loaded boats;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view ofFlG. 18; and

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of one part of the transmission assembly and the composite machine.

FIG. 20a is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 20 but showing another part of the transmission assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The butter pat packaging machine of the present invention is seen as a composite assembly in FIG. 1. Basically, the machine is comprised of a plurality of synchronously operated subassemblies. The subassemblies can be conveniently characterized as an empty boat feed assembly for feeding such empty boats to the transport, a boat-transporting assembly A for delivering the empty boats to the pat loading station and maintaining them in alignment and synchronization with the pat packages dispensed from the pat package feeder, a pat package feed assembly B for delivering individual pats of butter to the boat transporter and a boat collating assembly I). In operation, the individual pats of butter are fed serially to the pat loading station wherein an empty boat is arranged to receive the pats. concomitantly, the individual boats are conveyed through the loading position at a controlled rate until they are loaded. At the same time, empty boats are continuously delivered to the boat-transporting assembly in a timed sequence. Finally, the loaded boats are ejected to the collator D wherein they are conveyed to a platform from which manual loading of the loaded boats into shipment containers can be conveniently performed.

The boat-transporting assembly A, seen in FIG. 2, is comprised primarily of an upper pulley 2, a lower pulley 4 and a belt 6 arranged around the pulleys 2 and 4. The belt 6 is provided with a plurality of transverse flights 8 and longitudinal flights 10. The longitudinal flights 10 are adapted to retain the unloaded boats 12 on the belt 6 during their vertical travel and the transverse flights 8 are adapted to eject the boats 12 from the boat transport system after they have been loaded and also afford the suction system with access to the boats 12 as the belt 6 passes over the upper pulley 2. The transverse flights 8 and the longitudinal flights 10 are arranged alternately on the belt 6 with a boat length separating the longitudinal flights 10 from each other.

The boat-transporting assembly A also includes a suction system 7, boat guides 25 and 27 and a flight track 29. The suction system 7 is located in the upper pulley 2 and serves to accept the boats 12 from the boat infeed assembly C and retain the boats 12 on the pulley 2 as they pass therearound. The boat guide 27 is located adjacent the upper pulley 2 in the area immediately before the boats 12 leave the suction system 7 and serves to assist in retaining the boats 12 on the boat transport assembly A. Boat guide 25 is located below the boat guide 27 and also acts to retain the boats 12 on the boat transport assembly A. The flight track 29 is aligned with slots in the lateral edges of the transverse flights 8 and the longitudinal flights 10 and configured in the same cross-sectional shape as the slots. The slots in the flights fit into the track 29 to insure aligned travel of the flights during the vertical descent of the boats 12.

In operation, as the boat 12 enters the boat-transporting assembly it makes contact with a vacuum cup 26 which retains the boat 12 in synchronization with the belt 6. The transverse flight 8, located between the longitudinal flights 10 at the trailing edge 11 and the leading edge 13 of the boat 12, bears against the bottom surface of the boat 12. As the boats 12 travel over the upper pulley 2, the suction system acts to secure each boat 12 to the belt 6 by forcing the boat 12 against the transverse flight 8 associated therewith. On the descent path the leading edge 13 of the boat 12 rests on the longitudinal flight 10 preceding the boat 12.

The suction assembly, best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, used to retain the unloaded boats 12 on the belt 6 is comprised of four suction cups 24, 26, 28, 30 arranged orthogonally on the upper pulley 2. The suction cups are mounted on the pulley 2 by any appropriate means, such as a post 31 and a bracket 33, seen in FIG. 4. As seen in FIG. 3, the suction cups 24, 26, 28, 30 selectively communicate with a vacuum source 32. The vacuum source 32 is provided with a line 34 that extends to a crescent port 36 arranged in a fixed hub section 40 of the upper pulley 2. Each of the suction cups 24, 26, 28, 30 is provided with an individual line 38, shown associated only with cup 24, that extends from the cup through the rotating pulley hub structure 41 to the fixed hub surface 43. Each line 38 has a termination 42 which is located in the radius R about the hub center 45 at which the crescent port 36 is located. The crescent port 36 is arranged at the radius R and extends in an arc of slightly less than and is exposed to the rotating pulley hub section 41 (at surface 43) as best seen in FIG. 4. One end of the crescent port 36, the entry or approach end 35, is located at about 15 above the horizontal plane passing through the center 45 of the hubs 40 and 41. The opposite end, the exit end 37, is at an elevation in the area of the horizontal plane passing through the hub center 45. Much versatility inheres in the suction system, with considerable latitude for varying the arrangement of posts, however; practice has taught that the above-described arrangement is the most practical and efficient.

Functionally, as the upper pulley 2 rotates, the termination 42 of the lines 38 rotates on the hub surface 43 into and out of engagement with the crescent port 36. When the crescent port 36 is exposed to a termination 42 of a suction cup line 38, the suction cup associated therewith will be under vacuum. As the termination 42 of the line 38 passes the crescent port 36, communication with the vacuum source 32 ceases and then passes a port (not shown) open to atmosphere.

The suction cups 24, 26, 28, 30 are formed of rubber with a concave opening 44 adapted to hermetically engage the bottom of a boat 12. In operation, the termination 42 of a line 38 will come into communication with the crescent port 36 just as the suction cup associated therewith approaches a boat 13 leaving the boat infeed assembly for the rotary path around the upper pulley 2. As the concave opening 44 of the suction cup engages the bottom of a boat 12, the suction source 32 is communicated to the suction cup and the boat 12 is forced against the transverse flight 8 and held thereagainst during its travel in the rotational path around the upper pulley 2 until the vacuum 5 path is broken and vented to atmosphere.

The transverse flights 8 are best seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Basically, the transverse flights 8 are comprised of a flat baseplate 46 having a centrally disposed opening 48 arranged therein and a cam-operated discharge mechanism 50 provided to facilitate positive ejection of a loaded boat 12 from the loading station. The plate 46 is provided with attachment members 52 adapted to secure the transverse flight to the track 29 and the boat feed belt 6. Slots 53 formed in the attachment members 52 are configured to fit in the flight track 29, The discharge mechanism 50 is comprised of a slidably arranged flat plate 54, a roller cam follower 56 attached to the plate 54 and a pusher plate 58. The pusher plate 58 can be attached to the slidably arranged plate 54 by any suitable fastening means, such as bolts 62 or can be integrally formed therewith. The slidably arranged plate 54 is attached to the baseplate 46 by guides 60.

Functionally, the sliding plate 54 is forced transversely in the guides 60 as the cam follower 56 passes over a cam surface located adjacent the loading section, the track 29 reacting the force, Since the pusher plate 58 bears against the side of the loaded boat 12, the boat 12 is also forced transversely out of the loading station into the collating assembly. The centrally disposed opening 48 is the access means to enable the suction cups 24, 26, 28, 30 to engage the bottoms of the boats 12.

The longitudinal flights seen in FIGS. 8, 9, 10 are comprised primarily of a base member 64, a vertically movable platform 68 and a cam mechanism 70 adapted to depress the platform 68. Attachment members 66 secure the longitudinal flights 10 to the boat feed conveyor belt 6 and track 29. Slots 67 formed in the attachment members 66 are configured to fit in the flight track 29. The platform member 68 is comprised of a backplate 72 having lateral edges 73 and the platform plate 74. The platform member 68 is slidably mounted by the lateral edges 73 of the backplate 72 in rails 76 fixed to the base member 64. A spring 78 is used to bias the platform member 68 to its lowest vertical position. The cam mechanism 70 is comprised of a roller cam follower 82, a pivotally mounted block 84 and a stylus cam follower 86. A pivot pin 88 is provided to mount the cam mechanism 70 on the baseplate 64. The block 84 is provided with a cam slot 90 and the platform backplate 72 is provided with a pin 92 which projects into the cam slot 90 to act as a cam follower.

Functionally, the cam follower 82 bears against a cam surface on the boat-transporting assembly to rotate the block 84 about the mounting pin 88. The rotation of the block 84 causes the pin 92 to follow the slot 90, thereby overcoming the force of the spring 78 and raises platform 68. The stylus cam follower 86 terminates in a point 87 which cooperates with a cam surface to permit rapid return of the platform 68 to its lowest position.

As best seen in FIG. 11, the boat transport assembly includes a fixed structure 9 adapted to support the cam surfaces which cooperate with the cam followers 82 and 86 on the longitudinal flights 10 and the cam followers 56 on the transverse flights 8. Four cam surfaces 14, 16, 18 and 20 and four auxilia ry cam plates 80 are mounted on the fixed structure 9 of the boat feed assembly to cooperate with the cam followers 82 and 86 on the longitudinal flights 10. The cams 14, 16, 18 and 20 are located in series in alignment with the belt 6 of the boat feed assembly. Cam 14 is a curved segment located in proximity to the upper pulley 2 and, as a consequence, is contoured to conform to the path of travel of the flights traveling around the upper pulley 2 and into the vertical descent. Cams 16, 18 and 20 are located in the vertical descent path with cam 20 terminating 9 9/32 inches below the pat loading station 102. The earns 14, 16, 18 and 20 are spaced apart one boat length and are configured with gradually sloped surface and cam surfaces 80 having a sharp terminal projection 17.

In operation, the cam followers 82 on the longitudinal flights 10 accommodating the boats 12 at the pat loading station 102 and the three succeeding boats bear against the sloped cam surfaces 20, 18, 16 and 14, respectively. As the cam followers 82 are biased transversely, the platform 68 on each of the longitudinal flights 10 is gradually elevated with respect to the flights 10 while the flights 10 are descending as a result of the travel of the belt 6. When the cam followers 82 approach the end of the respective cam surfaces 15, the styluses 86 engage the cam surfaces 80. The styluses 86 lean on the cam surfaces until the boat 12 associated therewith is completely filled. Immediately after the last pat has been inserted in the boat 12, the styluses points 87 will pass beyond the terminal projections 17 thereby enabling the platforms 68 to rapidly return to their lowest position as a result of the force of the springs 78. The longitudinal flight 10 accommodating the boat that has just been loaded leaves the cam assembly while the cam followers 82 on the four succeeding longitudinal flights 10 move onto the succeeding cam surfaces, i.e., the cam followers 82 and 86 that have passed cam 16 move onto cam 18. This operation provides an allowance which insures that the leading edge 13 of the unloaded boat 12 which moves into pat loading station 102 will be well below the elevation at which the butter pat packages are entering the loading station.

Directly after the loading station 102, an eject cam 19 is located. The eject cam 19 is fixed to the structure 9 and is provided with a cam race 22 which is adapted to cooperate with the cam followers 56 on the transverse flights 8. After a boat 12 has been loaded, the cam follower 56 on the transverse flight 8 associated with the boat 12 enters the cam race 22 at entry 21. As the boat 12 continues its vertical descent on the belt 6, the cam follower 56 takes the path of the cam race 22 thereby forcing the boat off the longitudinal flight 10 accommodating it and finally returning to the at-rest position as it leaves the cam race 22 at exit 23. While a U-shaped cam race 22 can be used, practice has taught that the W-shaped cam race provides an interval during the eject operation in which the loaded boats can fall, free of lateral pressure, thereby allowing the boats to assume a vertical orientation.

The butter pat feed assembly B, best seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, is adapted to convey individual butter pat packages serially to the pat loading station 102. Butter pat packages are comprised of butter pats 121, mats on which the pats 121 rest and paper hats 122. The mats 120 are larger than the pats 121 and have laterally extending edges 124 which are formed by fold lines 126, best seen in FIG. 14.

A conveyor belt 94, mounted on a drive pulley 96 and an idler pulley (not shown), is used to convey the pat packages 100 to the packaging machine. Individual flights 98 are secured to the conveyor belt 94 to accommodate a single butter pat package 100. As seen in FIG. 13, the individual flights 98 are provided with a clip 104 at the rear to retain each butter package 100 on the flight 98. The clip 104 is adapted to attach to the rear edge of the mat 120 of the butter pat package 100 to enable removal of the pat package forwardly.

An assembly of rollers 112 is symmetrically arranged in alignment with the pat packages 100 on the conveyor belt 94 at the point wherein the belt 94 engages the pulley 96 and is adapted to remove the butter pat packages 100 from the flight 98 and assist in conveying the butter pat packages 100 to the loading station 102. The assembly of rollers 112 is comprised of symmetrically arranged pairs of rollers; the respective complementary rollers of each pair being aligned with the respective laterally extending edges 124 of the butter pat package mats 120. A pair of upper rear rollers 106-108 and a pair of lower rear rollers 1101l1 are arranged in vertical alignment. The assembly of rollers also includes a pair of forward upper rollers 114-116, a pair of forward lower rollers 118419, a pair of intermediate upper rollers 123, and a pair of intermediate lower rollers 127, 128. The forward rollers 114, 116, 118, 119 are driven by a transmission assembly from the machine power source. Toothed belts 130, 132, 134, 136 are arranged around the respective upper and lower sets of rollers on each side of the roller assembly. As illustrated in FIG. 12, toothed belt is arranged around rollers 110, 118, 127 to comprise one unit and toothed belt 132 is arranged around rollers 106, 114, 125 to comprise another unit. The belts 130,

132, 134, 136 function to provide the power path for driving the driven or idler rollers of each roller unit. in addition, the toothed belts provide the gripping means for positively removing the butter pat packages 100 from the flights 98. The rollers are driven at a rate to impart a greater linear speed to the toothed belts than the flight 98. Consequently, as the toothed belts grip the lateral edges 124 of the butter package mat 120, the butter package 100 is positively pulled from the clip 104 and conveyed through the assembly of rollers 112. In practice, it has been found that the linear speed of the toothed belts I30, 132, 134, 136 should be 1.17 times the linear speed of the belt 94.

Directly downstream of the roller assembly 112 are upper pinch rollers 138, 139 and lower pinch rollers 140, 141 which are smaller in size than the conveyor roller. The pinch rollers 138, 139, 140, 141 are adapted to grip the lateral edges 124 of the butter package mat 120 directly. The pinch rollers are driven by a power transmission shaft connected to the machine power source. The surface speed of the pinch rollers is the same as the surface a speed of the toothed belts.

Immediately beyond the pinch rollers 138, 139, 140, 141 is a guide 142 through which the butter pat package 100 passes to reach the pat loading station 102. As best seen in FIG. 14, the guide 142 is adapted to deflect the lateral edges 124 of the mat 120 upwardly to provide a mat configuration which will conveniently and positively fit in the boats 12. With the mat edges 124 deflected upwardly, the cross-sectional area of the pat package 100 is necessarily reduced to at least the crosssectional area of the boat 12. In addition, the natural tendency of the mat edges 124 is to return to the flattened state; hence. a force inherent in the mat 120 bears against the sides of the boat 12 to provide a positive force for retaining the mats 120 in the boat 12. Structurally, the guide 142 is formed of symmetrically disposed blocks 144 arranged on both sides of the path leading to the pat loading station 102. Essentially, each block is provided with a thin plate 146 which depends from the inner edge of the top of the blocks 144 and terminates at the elevation of the mat surface. The blocks 144 each have an inner plow surface configured with a groove 148 which contours upwardly from rear to front. The rear edge of the groove 148 is at about the same elevation as the mat 120 and the bottom of the depending plate 146. Consequently, as the mat 120 passes through the guide 142, the laterally extending edges 124 will be bent upwardly by the plow surfaces of the grooves 148 while the plate 146 retains the mat at a constant elevation by hearing on the fold lines 126.

The butter pat feed assembly B also includes a push tamper mechanism 150 which functions to positively force each pat package 100 through the guide 142 and into the boat. As best seen in FIGS. 12, 14 and 15, the push tamper 150 is comprised of guides 152, 154, a reciprocating plate 156, a tamper fork 158 fixedly mounted on the reciprocating plate 156, and an eccentric drive mechanism 160. The reciprocating plate 156 is slidably mounted in the guides 152, 154 and is driven in a reciprocating motion by the eccentric drive mechanism 160. The eccentric drive mechanism 160 is comprised of a rotating pin 162, a block 163, and a slot 164 in the reciprocating plate 156 in which the block 163 is slidably mounted. Pin 162 is mounted through the block 163 on a disc 370 which, in turn, is mounted on a shaft 371, best seen in FIG. 20. As the pin 162 rotates, the block 163 and the slot 164 follow the pin 162 to provide a reciprocating motion, the concept being similar to that of a scotch yoke. The drive for the push tamper 150 is from a power transmission assembly best seen in FIG. 20, deriving its power from the machine power source. The tamper fork 158 is provided with a longitudinal edge 166 and two lateral edges 168, 170. The lateral edges 168 and 170 are spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the butter pat but less than the distance between the fold lines 126 on the mat 120. As the pinch rollers propel the mat into the guide assembly 142, the tamper fork 158 makes a single reciprocation to engage the surface of the butter package mat 120 and force the pat package 100 through the guide assembly 142 and into the boat 12 traveling through the loading station 102. Although the push tamper mechanism 150 is the preferred mechanism for urging the pat packages 100 through the guide 142, any drive mechanism capable of synchronously operating with the pinch rollers 138-141 can be used.

The butter pat package feed assembly B also includes a size tamper 172, seen in FIGS. 12 and 16, to insure that the butter pat packages 100 are all of uniform height. The size tamper 172 is located in alignment with and above the path of the butter pat packages 100 immediately upstream of the roller assembly 1 12. Basically, the size tamper 172 is comprised of a body member 174 rotatably arranged on two rotating wheels 176, 178 and a tamper plate 188 adjustably attached to the bottom of member 174. Pins 180 and 182 are rigidly fixed to the respective wheels 176 and 178 and slidably mounted in bearing surfaces 184 and 186 of the body member 174. The rotating wheels 176 and 178 are mounted on centrally disposed shafts 177 and 179 respectively. Both of the rotating wheels 176, 178 are driven to provide the size tamper 172 with a tamping motion coincident with the forward travel of the butter pat. In practice it has been found that rotating both wheels 176, 178 counterclockwise is most effective since it imparts a vertical and forward motion to the size tamper 17 2. Therefore, the size tamper 172 is moving in the same direction as the butter pat package 100 when it engages the upper surface thereof to tamp the pat. Driven gears 190 and 191, seen in FIGS. 16 and 20, are rigidly secured to the shafts 177 and 179 of the wheels 176 and 178, respectively, and are driven by an idler gear 192 which is powered by a power transmission system emanating from the machine power source. Any suitable drive mechanism can be employed for the size tamper 172 with the sole requirement being that synchronization between the tamper 172 and the flights 98 on the conveyor belt 94 exist.

Guides 194, 196 are provided to retain the package and flight 98 at a constant elevation as they pass under the size tamper 172. The guides 194 and 196, best seen in FIG. 16, are configured at an angle to the conveyor belt 94 with their lower edges 198, 200 in alignment with the respective fold lines 126 of the mats 120. The angled configuration of the guides 194 and 196 affords positive engagement with the mat along the fold lines 126 without interfering with the hats 122 on the pats 121. The trailing edges 199 of the guides 194 and 196 are cut at an angle to present a sloped contour that will facilitate urging the mats 120 downwardly.

The boat infeed assembly C, seen in FIG. 17, operates to deliver individual boats 12 serially to the boat transport assembly A. Essentially, the boat infeed assembly C is comprised of a conveyor mechanism 202, a track 204 and a mechanism for synchronizing the operation of the conveyor mechanism 202 and the boat transport belt 6.

The conveyor mechanism 202 is comprised of a pulley assembly 206 consisting of three pulleys 210, 212 and 214 arranged in an essentially triangular orientation and a belt 224 arranged therearound. Rods 207 extend from the belt 224 of the pulley assembly 206 and serve to push the boats 12 along the track 204 and into engagement with a suction cup on the boat transport assembly A. The track 204 is comprised of essentially an entry gate section 216 and a curved channel section 218 which follows the contour of the pulley belt 224 from the lower pulley 210 around the intermediate pulley 214 toward the upper pulley 212 to the boat transport assembly A. The entry gate section 216 of the track 204 is mounted on a lever arm 225 of a bellcrank assembly 228. The other lever arm 226 of the bellcrank assembly 228 is configured in the form of a cam and arranged to cooperate with cam pins 222. The bellcrank assembly is held in its maximum upward position by spring 205. The lower pulley 214 is provided with four cam pins 222 arranged in synchronization with the rods 207 on the belts 224. Essentially, the pivotal entry gate section 216 is deflected downwardly about the pivot 220, overcoming the force of spring 205 as the cam pins 222 bear against the cam follower 226 of the bellcrank 228. 

1. Apparatus for feeding and assembling individual units into uniform assemblies each containing a plurality of such individual units comprising: means for automatically feeding units to be assembled; a plurality of means for receiving and assembling said units and for removing an assembly of said units after a predetermined number of units have been assembled; means for moving each of said receiving, assembling and removing means into receiving position; and means for accelerating each of said, receiving, assembling and removing means during movement thereof into receiving position.
 2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said means for receiving, assembling and removing include flights mounted in spaced position on a conveying means.
 3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said spaced flights each include a movable member for receiving and assembling said individual units.
 4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said movable member is movable in a first direction opposite the direction of movement of said conveying means while said flight on which said member is mounted is being moved toward said receiving position and in a second direction which is the same direction as the movement of said conveying means as such flight enters said receiving position.
 5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4 in which said means for accelerating said receiving, assembling and removing means includes means mounted adjacent said conveying means for controlling said movement of said movable member.
 6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5 in which said means mounted adjacent said conveying means includes means for simultaneously controlling a plurality of movable members on flights following one after the other.
 7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6 in which said means mounted adjacent said conveying means includes spaced cam surfaces.
 8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7 in which said movable members each include a cam follower for engagement with said spaced cam surfaces for moving said movable member in said direction opposite the direction of movement of said conveying means.
 9. Apparatus as recited in claim 8 in whIch said movable members each include spring means for moving said movable member in said same direction as said conveying means.
 10. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said means for receiving, assembling and removing an assembly of said units includes a container.
 11. Apparatus as recited in claim 10 in which said container is between the moving members of consecutive flights.
 12. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 including pusher means movable transverse to said conveying means.
 13. Apparatus as recited in claim 12 in which said pusher means is mounted on said conveying means for transverse movements relative to said conveying means.
 14. Apparatus as recited in claim 13 including means mounted adjacent said conveying means for controlling said transverse movement of said pusher means.
 15. Apparatus as recited in claim 14 in which said controlling means includes a cam fixedly mounted and a cam follower mounted on said pusher means.
 16. Apparatus as recited in claim 15 in which said means for receiving, assembling and removing an assembly of said units includes a container.
 17. Apparatus as recited in claim 16 in which said container is between the moving members of consecutive flights.
 18. Apparatus as recited in claim 17 in which said pusher means includes a pusher plate for engaging said container intermediate the leading and trailing ends of said container.
 19. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 including means for receiving said container as said container with an assembly of said units therein is removed.
 20. Apparatus as recited in claim 19 in which said means for receiving said container includes means for removing said container from said receiving means.
 21. Apparatus as recited in claim 20 in which said means for receiving said container includes means for receiving a plurality of said containers and means for transferring said plurality of containers to said container-removing means.
 22. Apparatus as recited in claim 21 in which said container-removing means includes a latch member for receiving a plurality of said containers and an arm for transferring said plurality of containers to a container-conveying means.
 23. Apparatus as recited in claim 22 in which said arm for receiving a plurality of containers is activated by a cam.
 24. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said means for automatically feeding units includes means for assuring that the units to be assembled are of a predetermined thickness.
 25. Apparatus as recited in claim 24 in which said means for assuring predetermined thickness is a tamper and means for engaging said tamper with said units.
 26. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said means for automatically feeding units includes conveying means for feeding individual units to be assembled one unit after another unit.
 27. Apparatus as recited in claim 26 in which said units to be assembled each include a support member having outwardly extending projections.
 28. Apparatus as recited in claim 27 in which said conveying means includes flights each having a member for engaging said unit.
 29. Apparatus as recited in claim 28 in which said conveying means includes means for accelerating said unit out of engagement with said member.
 30. Apparatus as recited in claim 29 including driving means for engaging the units discharged from said unit accelerating means.
 31. Apparatus as recited in claim 30 including guide means for guiding the unit discharged from said driving means.
 32. Apparatus as recited in claim 31 including tamper means and tamper guide means for guiding said unit while said unit is opposite said tamper means.
 33. Apparatus as recited in claim 32 including pusher means and means for engaging said pusher means with the unit in said guide means for pushing said unit downwardly and angularly with respect to said guide means.
 34. Apparatus as recited in claim 33 in which said unit includes a mat having outwardly extending edges, said guide having opposing sUrfaces for supporting said unit and folding said edges upwardly while said unit passes therethrough.
 35. Apparatus as recited in claim 11 including means for feeding empty containers to said conveying means and for positioning one of said empty containers between each pair of movable members on immediately following flights.
 36. Apparatus as recited in claim 35 in which said means for positioning includes means on said conveying means for engaging and holding said empty container between said movable members.
 37. Apparatus as recited in claim 36 in which said means for engaging and holding said empty container includes suction cups and a vacuum system.
 38. Apparatus as recited in claim 37 in which said suction cups and vacuum system includes means for selectively connecting said suction cups to said vacuum system for engaging and holding said empty containers and for disconnecting said cups from said vacuum system to release an empty container held by said cup when said container is in position between said movable members of immediately following flights.
 39. Apparatus as recited in claim 38 including guide means for maintaining said empty container between said movable members when said empty container is released from said suction cup.
 40. Apparatus for assembling individual units into uniform assemblies each containing a plurality of such individual units, each individual unit including a mat having outwardly extending edges, said apparatus comprising: means for automatically feeding units to be assembled including conveying means having unit carrying flights mounted thereon, one flight after the other, each of said flights having a clip for engaging an outwardly extending edge of said mat, a tamper, means for engaging said tamper with the unit on the flight as the flight passes the tamper, accelerating means along the path of travel of said units for engaging at least one of the outwardly extending edges of said mat for removing said mat from said clip, driving means along said path for engaging at least one of said edges of said mat as said unit is discharged from said accelerating means, guide means at the opposite sides of said path for engaging the outwardly extending edges of said mat as said mat is discharged from said driving means, pusher means and means for engaging said pusher means with the unit edges in said guide means for pushing said units downwardly and angularly with respect to said guide means, said guide means guiding said outwardly extending edges upwardly; means for receiving and assembling said units pushed downwardly and angularly with respect to said guide means including flights mounted in space position on a receiving conveying means, each of said flights including a movable member, means for feeding and for positioning an empty container between each pair of movable members on immediately following flights which container feeding and positioning means includes suction cups and a vacuum system selectively connectable to said suction cups for engaging, holding and positioning an empty container between said pair of movable members and for releasing an empty container held thereby when said container is in position, guide means for maintaining said empty container between said movable members when said empty container is released, a first cam having cam surfaces mounted adjacent said second conveying means, a cam follower for engaging said cam surfaces and for moving said movable member on said flights in a first direction opposite the direction of movement of said receiving conveying means, spring means on each of said movable means for moving said movable means at an accelerated speed in the same direction as the movement of said receiving conveying means and into position to receive said units pushed downwardly and angularly with respect to said guides, pusher means mounted on said receiving conveying means, a second cam adjacent said receiving conveying means, a cam follower mounted on said pusher means for engageMent with said second cam for moving said pusher transverse said receiving conveying means and for pushing a container having a plurality of such individual units assembly therein off of said receiving conveying means and means for receiving said container as said container is pushed off of said receiving conveying means, said container receiving means including means for receiving a plurality of said containers, a latch member for receiving such plurality of containers and an arm for transferring said plurality of received containers to a container-conveying means and a cam for activating said arm for transferring said plurality of containers to said container-conveying means. 